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Chairman Royce Statement on Meriam Ibrahim’s Exit from Sudan

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement in response to the news that Meriam Ibrahim, a Sudanese Christian woman accused of apostasy, has successfully left Sudan and arrived in Italy with her family:

“I am happy to hear that Meriam has been able to leave Sudan. She and her family deserve an opportunity for a new chapter. Members of the Foreign Affairs Committee have been extensively engaged in efforts to secure her release. Just yesterday, the Committee held a hearing to raise awareness about her case. I appreciate the efforts of our American diplomats to ensure Meriam’s safety throughout this whole ordeal. While Meriam and her family escaped Sudan’s religious persecution, apostasy is still on the books in Sudan, leaving the chances open for other reprehensible cases like hers.”